Minding Your Comfort Zone

This month, our blog on Comfort Zones ended with the first in a series of tips….

“Tip # 1: Understand your mindset – Mental conditioning plays a big role in developing your comfort zone. Based on past experiences and what we’ve been conditioned to believe, we create mental limits as to what we are willing to tolerate or not tolerate, what is comfortable or uncomfortable. These limits help form the boundaries of our comfort zone. Understanding where your boundaries come from is the first step in being able to expand them.”

When we think about widening our comfort zone, we need to make a conscious effort to examine the boundaries we have in place today and decide if they need to be adjusted should we decide to expand our comfort zone. Boundaries are critically important to living a balanced life and yet they are often misunderstood.

Have you ever stopped to intentionally think about your comfort zone? Probably not. We know it’s there, mainly when we’re asked to step out of it or someone we meet attempts to step into it. So where does it come from and how are its boundaries established?

Your mindset plays a big role in developing your comfort zone. Based on past experiences and what we’ve been conditioned to believe, we create mental limits as to what we are willing to tolerate or not tolerate, what we find comfortable or uncomfortable. Understanding where these limits come from is the first step in being able to move beyond them.

This week we continue our discussion on stepping out of your comfort zone by examining the role your mindset plays in establishing the parameters of your comfort zone.

Fixed And Growth Mindsets

In recent years, there has been much discussion and debate regarding the power of mindset and how it can influence one’s success in life. Studies have found that those with a fixed mindset, who believe their abilities are fixed and permanent, are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset who believe their abilities can be developed and improved. People with a fixed mindset often shy away from challenges and may give up when faced with difficult situations.

Those with a growth mindset are willing to step out of their comfort zone and rise to a challenge, seeing it as an opportunity for learning and growth.

A growth mindset is essential when examining comfort zones and their limits. Explore the mindsets below and decide for yourself those you would categorize as fixed and those you consider to be growth-oriented. Which mindsets do you already have or want to embrace?

Lazy Mindset

People with a lazy mindset are typically satisfied with short-term happiness and content with taking life as it comes. They resist putting any effort into an activity they ought to carry out, preferring a less strenuous or less boring activity. They tend to be idle whenever they can and are easily pleased.

Fear Mindset

Everyone is afraid of something and fear can be debilitating, preventing you from taking the steps you know you need to take to improve your life. How you deal with your fears can make all the difference. If you let your fear, get the best of you, you end up playing it safe, make no forward movement, and miss out on incredible opportunities and adventures. Those who can feel and acknowledge the fear and, despite it, find the courage to step out of their comfort zone are rewarded for their efforts.

Dreamer Mindset

Those with a dreamer mindset, think big and believe anything is possible. They have an unobstructed vision of what they want to achieve in life, even when they have no idea how they will get there. While the dreamer mindset can be an enviable mindset to have, dreaming alone doesn’t produce results. You need to take action to achieve your dreams; otherwise, it’s just wishful thinking.

Confident Mindset

When you have a confident mindset, you have faith in your abilities. You know what you are capable of and trust yourself to act. You tend to be happy with who you are and are comfortable and effective when socializing. You do things because you believe in them, and you don’t give up on yourself. Feeling confident can be a huge boost to your mental health and when coupled with other positive mindsets, can make you unstoppable. Though, be mindful to avoid appearing over-confident. Overconfidence can lead to arrogance which will hinder your success and happiness.

Gratitude Mindset

Having a gratitude mindset means you don’t take things for granted. You appreciate what you have no matter how big or small. Gratitude humbles you, makes you happier, and encourages you to make the most of your time. You celebrate every success you achieve, which leads you to more successes down the road.

Abundance Mindset

An abundance mindset means you believe there is enough of everything for everyone. More options, more choices, more resources, plenty of fulfilling relationships, and unlimited wealth. When you believe in abundance, abundance comes to you. A favorite quote of those with an abundance mindset is, “The secret to having it all is believing you already do.”

The opposite of an abundance mentality is once of scarcity and a belief that because everything is in limited supply your chances of getting what you want are slim to none. A constant feeling of lack results in a competitive mindset and resentment of others’ success.

Assess Your Current Mindset

Take the time to reflect and assess how your mindset is helping you or holding you back. Understanding your current frame of mind will allow you to figure out how you can change or improve it. If you are determined to succeed and achieve what you desire, it can only be done by aligning your mindset and your actions, which, dare we say, may require stepping outside your comfort zone.

Take a moment and try on each of the mindsets above and decide which ones speak to you. Think about how these mindsets impact your comfort zone and your boundaries. For those with a growth mindset (dreamer, confident, grateful, or abundant), how will you adjust your boundaries to boost your opportunities and prospects for an exciting, fulfilling life?

For those who have a fixed mindset such as lazy or fear-based, your comfort zone may be fairly compact and your prospects for continued change and growth quite slim. And there is nothing wrong with that as long as you are happy and content. But if you’re not, start thinking about adjusting your mindset as well as your boundaries and step outside your comfort zone.

Mindsets are not static. You can change your mindset with determination and focus. Learn to value effort over talent, look at challenges as opportunities, and shift your perspective from failure to learning. If you want more from life than what you have right now, it may be time to tune up your mindset.

See you next week when we discuss how to expand your Comfort Zone!